"For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake."
Philippians 1:29
“For unto you, it is given in the behalf of Christ,”
Jesus has suffered so much for us. We see His sufferings through the pages of the Gospels. Here is something that we can do for Him, “in His behalf.”
“This is an added honor conferred on us by our Lord. The King gives us the opportunity of lying in the stocks with Him, of standing at the same pillory, and of being crucified on the same Calvary. But those who have drunk of His cup shall share His throne”[1] (Meyer).
“Not only to believe on him,”
Suffering for Him is impossible without “believing on (in) Him.” Salvation must be our connection with Christ, and then we may suffer “in His behalf.”
“‘To believe Him,’ would merely mean to believe He speaks the truth. ‘To believe on Him,’ is to believe in, and trust through Him to obtain eternal salvation.”[2]
If you have no faith in Him, you have no salvation.
“But also to suffer for his sake.”
But why does our loving Father cause us to suffer? I would ask another question, why did He allow His own Son to suffer? The scriptures give us many instances of Jesus suffering. From His birth, He was hounded, and indeed through His ministry and death for us. If He allowed Jesus to experience suffering, don’t you think it’s fair for Him to let His followers suffer too? And even if we don’t understand the “why’s” of our suffering, we know from the Word of God that it is right for us to suffer.
It is God’s will for us to suffer when we suffer as a believer.
“Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator” (1 Peter 4:19).
God gives us the grace to suffer, and it brings about our maturity—it adjusts our perspective, it turns our hearts toward Him, it gives us strength, and it establishes us on our Rock.
“But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. To him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen” (1 Peter 5:10-11).
Suffering provides lessons for us about God and ourselves that we can learn no other way. God is always good to let us grow and mature, even if it is a complicated process for us. He works to build our relationship with Him.
“That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death” (Philippians 3:10).
“Suffering in behalf of Christ is one of God’s gifts to us”[3] (Robertson).
“When earth and heaven shall pass away, His fellow-sufferers shall be His chosen body-guard and attendants in a world where all shall love and honor Him” (Meyer).
Dear Lord, thank you for your gift of suffering. Please help me to do it well for your name’s sake.
[1] F.B. Meyer. Through the Bible Day by Day, the electronic version in eSword.
[2] Jamison, Fausset, and Brown. Jamison-Fausset-Brown’s Commentary, the electronic version in eSword.
[3] A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament, the electronic version in eSword.